Read Online 97 (Rise of the Battle Bred) by V. L. Holt - Free Book Online
Authors: V. L. Holt
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female sweat.
Most of his life, he cursed the dubious gifts the Warlochs had given his race, but he conceded that maybe it was kind of cool to be able to smell Jane Burrows as soon as she entered a room.
Being able to perform Misrillet for her had been a bonus. He knew he was a man of few words, like his dad, so being able to bring her into his world, if only for a few minutes, relaxed him. Maybe he didn’t know how to chat up a girl, unless they were talking world history, but he could capture her attention this way. To what end?
His mood tanked. A Warloch would eventually find he and his father, one of them would expire, and they would have to move again. He swung a fist into the wall in frustration.
“William!” His father shouted from somewhere in the house. William could feel the jolt of his father’s heavy steps approach his room. His door opened and the lights turned on. His father literally filled the doorway.
“Dad,” He said.
Jacob McLeod folded his huge arms and looked down at him. William knew he resembled his father in both appearance and size, but he still felt intimidated by him. Especially when he wore the expression he had on now. It was his ‘I’m uncomfortable talking to you but I’m going to anyway’ look. He began.
“I know this is hard.”
William frowned at his father but didn’t speak.
“You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?” Jacob asked.
William just shrugged.
Jacob relaxed his pose a bit. “I’m going to figure this out. We’re going to be able to stay longer this time.”
William sat up in his bed. “How?” he refused to allow room for hope in his voice. He had no more reason to stay here than any other place. None.
“I figured out a way to contact a few of the others. We need to stand together. The Warlochs have divided and conquered long enough. We need to do what we were bred to do. We need to fight!”
“You mean you need to fight,” William said bitterly.
“We’ve been over this, William,” Jacob said. “You must see the logic in my decision.”
William nodded slowly. This was a new side to his father. He was used to their original plan…lay low, don’t make waves, keep a watch out for the predators and fight until death. And then do it again. And again. And again. But after the last battle, his father had changed, and he had changed. He had a lot more to lose now.
“The Old Ones thought that splitting everyone up and scattering them throughout the globe was a good strategy. I’ve had enough time, and enough deaths, to realize the strategy is not working. We need to gather everyone in. We need to work together and fight the battle that should have been fought a couple thousand years ago,” Jacob said with fervor. “I’ve been in communication with some others. They agree.”
William schooled his features to show no emotion, much as he had done for his whole life. “The code worked.”
Jacob nodded slowly, a small smile about to glimmer on his hardened face. “Our people are slowly coming around to the truth. And anyone dialed in to the World Wide Web will be gradually finding the Easter eggs I’ve left at strategic websites. I’ve set up a handful of secure email addresses, and I’m getting responses every day.”
“Easter eggs?” William asked.
“You remember. Messages stored in hidden icons,” Jacob told him.
“That’s what the code was for…” William felt a stirring of hope in his chest. He stared at his father as if seeing him for the first time. The weariness of his features had taken on the look of determination instead. His battle-hardened body stood even taller in the doorframe of William’s room. He knew his father better than anyone else on the planet, but seeing this fervor from him pricked his heart.
They were both tired of running, but there was something else burning inside of his dad. He couldn’t put his finger on it. Before he felt the connection fade between them, William
Most of his life, he cursed the dubious gifts the Warlochs had given his race, but he conceded that maybe it was kind of cool to be able to smell Jane Burrows as soon as she entered a room.
Being able to perform Misrillet for her had been a bonus. He knew he was a man of few words, like his dad, so being able to bring her into his world, if only for a few minutes, relaxed him. Maybe he didn’t know how to chat up a girl, unless they were talking world history, but he could capture her attention this way. To what end?
His mood tanked. A Warloch would eventually find he and his father, one of them would expire, and they would have to move again. He swung a fist into the wall in frustration.
“William!” His father shouted from somewhere in the house. William could feel the jolt of his father’s heavy steps approach his room. His door opened and the lights turned on. His father literally filled the doorway.
“Dad,” He said.
Jacob McLeod folded his huge arms and looked down at him. William knew he resembled his father in both appearance and size, but he still felt intimidated by him. Especially when he wore the expression he had on now. It was his ‘I’m uncomfortable talking to you but I’m going to anyway’ look. He began.
“I know this is hard.”
William frowned at his father but didn’t speak.
“You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?” Jacob asked.
William just shrugged.
Jacob relaxed his pose a bit. “I’m going to figure this out. We’re going to be able to stay longer this time.”
William sat up in his bed. “How?” he refused to allow room for hope in his voice. He had no more reason to stay here than any other place. None.
“I figured out a way to contact a few of the others. We need to stand together. The Warlochs have divided and conquered long enough. We need to do what we were bred to do. We need to fight!”
“You mean you need to fight,” William said bitterly.
“We’ve been over this, William,” Jacob said. “You must see the logic in my decision.”
William nodded slowly. This was a new side to his father. He was used to their original plan…lay low, don’t make waves, keep a watch out for the predators and fight until death. And then do it again. And again. And again. But after the last battle, his father had changed, and he had changed. He had a lot more to lose now.
“The Old Ones thought that splitting everyone up and scattering them throughout the globe was a good strategy. I’ve had enough time, and enough deaths, to realize the strategy is not working. We need to gather everyone in. We need to work together and fight the battle that should have been fought a couple thousand years ago,” Jacob said with fervor. “I’ve been in communication with some others. They agree.”
William schooled his features to show no emotion, much as he had done for his whole life. “The code worked.”
Jacob nodded slowly, a small smile about to glimmer on his hardened face. “Our people are slowly coming around to the truth. And anyone dialed in to the World Wide Web will be gradually finding the Easter eggs I’ve left at strategic websites. I’ve set up a handful of secure email addresses, and I’m getting responses every day.”
“Easter eggs?” William asked.
“You remember. Messages stored in hidden icons,” Jacob told him.
“That’s what the code was for…” William felt a stirring of hope in his chest. He stared at his father as if seeing him for the first time. The weariness of his features had taken on the look of determination instead. His battle-hardened body stood even taller in the doorframe of William’s room. He knew his father better than anyone else on the planet, but seeing this fervor from him pricked his heart.
They were both tired of running, but there was something else burning inside of his dad. He couldn’t put his finger on it. Before he felt the connection fade between them, William
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